A Southwest Harbor landfill known for contaminating local wells is being capped

MAINE PUBLIC • September 25, 2026

Work is underway to cap a landfill in Southwest Harbor responsible for polluting nearby wells. It's a project that has been planned for nearly 20 years. The unlined landfill contains town waste and construction debris, says Ben Worcester, the president of Worcester Associates. The landfill hasn't been used since the '90s. And while the waste was previously capped, this project caps construction debris. David Madore, deputy commissioner of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, says water under the landfill will still be contaminated. The state has provided filters to homes with nearby wells that have been contaminated. Those filters will continue to be used while efforts to extend public water lines to affected homes continue. Worcester says his company has been working with the Maine DEP for roughly two decades to get project approval. He says funding was also an issue delaying the project which is expected to be completed by next September.